Biomaterial Database

Psychoactive drugs in the elderly: antipsychotics and anxiolytics. 1988

M A Jenike

Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

Psychiatric disorders in the elderly are common and often overlap with multiple medical problems. If used inappropriately, psychotropic drugs can further compromise a difficult clinical situation. Management of elderly patients with agitation, psychosis, anxiety, and insomnia are reviewed with a discussion of the optimal use of antipsychotic, anxiolytic, and sedating drugs. Initial attempts to control symptoms should involve nonpharmacologic techniques, but, when absolutely required, psychotropic drugs will often relieve symptoms with a minimum of side effects. Dangers in the chronic use of neuroleptics are stressed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007319	Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders	Disorders characterized by impairment of the ability to initiate or maintain sleep. This may occur as a primary disorder or in association with another medical or psychiatric condition.	Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep,Insomnia,Sleeplessness,Chronic Insomnia,DIMS (Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep),Early Awakening,Insomnia Disorder,Nonorganic Insomnia,Primary Insomnia,Psychophysiological Insomnia,Rebound Insomnia,Secondary Insomnia,Sleep Initiation Dysfunction,Transient Insomnia,Awakening, Early,Dysfunction, Sleep Initiation,Dysfunctions, Sleep Initiation,Insomnia Disorders,Insomnia, Chronic,Insomnia, Nonorganic,Insomnia, Primary,Insomnia, Psychophysiological,Insomnia, Rebound,Insomnia, Secondary,Insomnia, Transient,Insomnias,Sleep Initiation Dysfunctions
D008609	Mental Status Schedule	Standardized clinical interview used to assess current psychopathology by scaling patient responses to the questions.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000375	Aging	The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time.	Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
D001480	Basal Ganglia Diseases	Diseases of the BASAL GANGLIA including the PUTAMEN; GLOBUS PALLIDUS; claustrum; AMYGDALA; and CAUDATE NUCLEUS. DYSKINESIAS (most notably involuntary movements and alterations of the rate of movement) represent the primary clinical manifestations of these disorders. Common etiologies include CEREBROVASCULAR DISORDERS; NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES; and CRANIOCEREBRAL TRAUMA.	Extrapyramidal Disorders,Basal Ganglia Disorders,Lenticulostriate Disorders,Basal Ganglia Disease,Basal Ganglia Disorder,Extrapyramidal Disorder,Lenticulostriate Disorder
D001523	Mental Disorders	Psychiatric illness or diseases manifested by breakdowns in the adaptational process expressed primarily as abnormalities of thought, feeling, and behavior producing either distress or impairment of function.	Mental Illness,Psychiatric Diseases,Psychiatric Disorders,Psychiatric Illness,Behavior Disorders,Diagnosis, Psychiatric,Mental Disorders, Severe,Psychiatric Diagnosis,Illness, Mental,Mental Disorder,Mental Disorder, Severe,Mental Illnesses,Psychiatric Disease,Psychiatric Disorder,Psychiatric Illnesses,Severe Mental Disorder,Severe Mental Disorders
D014150	Antipsychotic Agents	Agents that control agitated psychotic behavior, alleviate acute psychotic states, reduce psychotic symptoms, and exert a quieting effect. They are used in SCHIZOPHRENIA; senile dementia; transient psychosis following surgery; or MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION; etc. These drugs are often referred to as neuroleptics alluding to the tendency to produce neurological side effects, but not all antipsychotics are likely to produce such effects. Many of these drugs may also be effective against nausea, emesis, and pruritus.	Antipsychotic,Antipsychotic Agent,Antipsychotic Drug,Antipsychotic Medication,Major Tranquilizer,Neuroleptic,Neuroleptic Agent,Neuroleptic Drug,Neuroleptics,Tranquilizing Agents, Major,Antipsychotic Drugs,Antipsychotic Effect,Antipsychotic Effects,Antipsychotics,Major Tranquilizers,Neuroleptic Agents,Neuroleptic Drugs,Tranquillizing Agents, Major,Agent, Antipsychotic,Agent, Neuroleptic,Drug, Antipsychotic,Drug, Neuroleptic,Effect, Antipsychotic,Major Tranquilizing Agents,Major Tranquillizing Agents,Medication, Antipsychotic,Tranquilizer, Major
D014151	Anti-Anxiety Agents	Agents that alleviate ANXIETY, tension, and ANXIETY DISORDERS, promote sedation, and have a calming effect without affecting clarity of consciousness or neurologic conditions. ADRENERGIC BETA-ANTAGONISTS are commonly used in the symptomatic treatment of anxiety but are not included here.	Anti-Anxiety Agent,Anti-Anxiety Drug,Anxiolytic,Anxiolytic Agent,Anxiolytic Agents,Tranquilizing Agents, Minor,Anti-Anxiety Drugs,Anti-Anxiety Effect,Anti-Anxiety Effects,Antianxiety Effect,Antianxiety Effects,Anxiolytic Effect,Anxiolytic Effects,Anxiolytics,Tranquillizing Agents, Minor,Agent, Anti-Anxiety,Agent, Anxiolytic,Agents, Anti-Anxiety,Agents, Anxiolytic,Agents, Minor Tranquilizing,Agents, Minor Tranquillizing,Anti Anxiety Agent,Anti Anxiety Agents,Anti Anxiety Drug,Anti Anxiety Drugs,Anti Anxiety Effect,Anti Anxiety Effects,Drug, Anti-Anxiety,Drugs, Anti-Anxiety,Effect, Anti-Anxiety,Effect, Antianxiety,Effect, Anxiolytic,Effects, Anti-Anxiety,Effects, Antianxiety,Effects, Anxiolytic,Minor Tranquilizing Agents,Minor Tranquillizing Agents